The Portland daily press., 1887-05-24
OUR SUMMER RESORTS.
The work of One Hundred Men on
cushing's Island.
New Drives, New Cottages, a New
Boat House and Many Other
Improvements.

Cushing's Island is now one of the busiest
places around Portland. About one hun
bred men are at work on the island this
week, erecting new cottages, and carrying
out the plans which Mr. Francis Cushing
has in mind for Transforming the island into
a great park, which shall be of natural
beauty equal to that of any resort on the
Atlantic coast. A great feature of the i'm
provements is to be smooth, well-kept
driveway along the shore around the entire
island With all its windings this driveway
will be nearly five miles in length. This
spring part of this road, from the landing
along the northern shore to White Head has
been built by Mr.. w. L. Murray. Mr.. Muir
ray has also repaired the roads through the
centre of the island, so that the summer Wis
itor and residents will find for their use well
kept avenues to the most interesting portions
of the island. To the bathing beaches foot
paths extend. Along these avenues and in
other suitable locations, about eight hun
dred naples and elms, with some fruit and
ornamental trees have been planted. 1t
would take great many Maine towns to
show such good results of the Governors
Arbor Day proclamation as can be shown
lOI lllG oplinS WOIh OH AuoulliS loiuuQs
The dead trees and rubbish which in former
years have disfgured parts of the island,
have been removed.
There are now three summer houses or
lookouts, the stone one on the point opposite
Cape Elizabeth, the one by the wharf. to be
rooted with thatch, and the third which is
bolted to the ledge of White Head. This
lookout at White Head may be considerably
improved during the summer. Two more
will be put up. one on the point which on
the front side of the island runs out toward
Peaks island, and another over on the other
end of the island, between the lookout at
the wharf and the stone one. Rustic seats
will be built at various other places.
AT the landing the wharf is to be enlarged,
and floating dock added. By the old wharf
a new boat house will be built. This boat
house will in size equal the house of the
Portland Yacht Club; in design and fittings
it will be a suitable companion to the ele-
CANT cottages that are going up this spring.
The bathing house will remain as it is this
| season, as without the hotel larger accom-
modations will not be needed
1t will be impossible to rebuild the Ottawa
House in time for this seasons guests, but
three new cottages are going up on The road
from the landing to the hotel site, and these
with the cottage in the willows, the studio
and the bowling alley, may be used for the
accommodation of visitors. The bowling
alley will be the dining room or restaurant
where visitors and residents may be served.
There are at present twelve cottages on
the island: The Old Cottage in the Willows,
the Skillings cottage, Professor Rosss, Mrs.
| Charles Cushing's, Mrs. Dakers's, Mr. Will
liam Sargent's. Mr.. Sidney Thaxter's, the
| Farm House, and four smaller cottages In
addition to these, eight more are already
built, to be completed before the end of the
| season. Mrs. Dunn, wife of Major Dunn,
| U. S. A., owns one Of these, handsome
summer residence near the Thaxter cottage,
built after design by John G. Stevens.
| Messrs. Fassett 81 Tompson have made plans
| for cottage for Mr.. George III. Knight,
| which Mr.. G. w. Doughty of Cape Elizabeth
VIII build. Mrs. Ware of Washington will
build another cottage. which, with the Dunn
and Knight cottages. will be a short distance
from the landing. Pomeroy & Sons of Var
mouth are building another for Mr. Cushing.
q new cottage north of the landing is Tor
Mr.. Walter Bailey.
The cottages will be supplied with water
from artesian wells, of which there are now
| five on the island. The well at the Ottawa
House site is now $50 feet deep, and is being
| deepened still more. Two more wells will
| be put down this summer With the natural
| springs, which are better and more numerous
| than usually found on an island of this sort,
| and the wells, Cnshing's Island will be well
supplied with the best of water.